StarClan's Recipient
by greythegoose
Summary: She didnt expect this. Any of this. Fist fanfic, constructive criticism please!


**StarClan's Recipient**

Dedicated to Erin Hunter, author of the Warrior Cats series, the series this novella was based upon. If we could someday meet, my question would be

"Why did you decide to write about cats?"

Chapter 1

Pinepaw shifted, nervous. Her dark russet fur shone in the dusk lighting, making her look like she was one with the sunset. She had just finished her warriors' assessment and Cedarstar had just called a clan meeting. Duskclaw, her mentor, stood beside her. "Pinepaw," Cedarstar called her forward, and she stepped up towards him. "From this day forward you will be known as Pineheart. You have learned courage and loyalty from your mentor Duskclaw. Pass on these qualities to your future apprentice." And with that he stepped back and the whole of ShadowClan cheered her name. Then one of the guards let out a warning yowl and Ravenfeather raced in, covered in twig and leaf scraps. He scrambled up to where Cedarstar was standing, and announced shocking news.

"Darkpelt has betrayed us!"

The clan gasped. Cedarstar said,

"Do you have any proof of these accusations, because if you don't, you will be taking care of the elders until the next season." He looked at Pineheart who was Darkpelt's daughter, then at Dawnheart, who was his mate. Both she-cats' eyes were blazing with fury as they both glared at Ravenfeather. The silence was broken by and audible snapping sound, coming from outside the camp. It was the snapping of fragile twigs under a moving cat. Boneclaw was dragging Darkpelt by his scruff into the clearing. He dropped him, and Darkpelt writhed under the paw that now trapped him under Boneclaw, glaring at every cat in the hollow. Pineheart raced out of camp, ashamed that that her father had been conspiring against them. She was captivated in her thoughts, and she had not noticed that she crossed the scent line until a ThunderClan tom shot out of a bush and pinned her down. She let herself be overpowered for a moment, then shoved him off and raced for ShadowClan territory. Once she was across the scent line she turned and saw him clearly. He was a handsome young tom with a light brown pelt and darker brown paws and ear tips. He stopped at the border and stared at her. She stared back at him. He meowed "Hi. I'm Treeclaw." She caught her breath then mewed "I'm Pineheart." Pineheart shuffled her paws and turned to go back to Shadowclan's camp.

"What were you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

The words made Pineheart hurry back to camp. She returned in time for her father's punishment being announced. Beesting, a dappled gray tom padded over to her and pressed himself close to her side. "I'm here for you. Just give the word, and I'll be at your side faster than you can say mouse."

That night she dreamed unusual dreams. There was a cat yowling in pain, but then abruptly cut off with a hiss of satisfaction. She woke right as the clan deputy, Frogfur poked her head in and called her for dawn patrol. As they headed toward the WindClan border, Pineheart scented blood, and went to investigate. What she saw horrified her. She called to her clanmates, then looked at the raging battle going on below.

Chapter Two

WindClan and RiverClan were locked in a bloody battle, and at the center of the battle there were the two clan leaders, Harestar and Reedstar, locked in a screeching, writhing ball of teeth and claws. Harestar screeched "The moorland will always belong to WindClan, and you fishfaces will never change that!" Harestar was about to say something else, but she yowled in pain as Reedstar sunk his long sharp teeth into her neck, killing her. As she fell dead, he hissed with satisfaction, he turned, and instead of the kind amber eyes of the bracken colored tom she saw at Fourtrees, Pineheart saw that kindness replaced with a longing for murder . He started toward her, and she stood wanting to move, but unable to. As he neared her, ShadowClan warriors began to pour out of the woods, driving WindClan cats back to their own territory. Reedstar fell back under the sheer force of Beesting, who had come looking for her when she left camp. He screeched a fearsome battle cry, and leapt on Reedstar, biting his throat and clawing his eyes. Pebblepelt, a tabby tom, and Reedstar's son, flung off Beesting, but it was too late. Reedstar wailed at the loss of his sight and signaled to his deputy Pondfur to gather the RiverClan warriors and head to their camp.

"Pineheart, what was that? Reedstar looked like he wanted to kill you… which is odd, because you never met each other, and you are really nice." As Beesting kept talking and hypothesizing, Pineheart's heart suddenly stopped. Her disappeared, and then a blinding white light flared in her eyes. A rough gravelly voice spoke, right in her ear. She spun around but could not locate the source of the voice.

"Darkness gathers like storm clouds. Gather the three and drive it back. Only then can the skies be clear."

Pineheart woke in the medicine cats den, with Beesting, Goldenheart, Cedarstar, and Boneclaw around her. She was awkwardly laying, and all of a sudden her vision came rushing back to her. She jumped up, wincing as the sudden movement jolted her paw.

"Pineheart what happened? You and I were having a normal conversation, but your eyes… they turned completely black. I'm no medicine cat, but I don't think eyes are supposed to do that… and like, five seconds after that happened you collapsed. Also don't move as when you fell you twisted your paw. It might hurt."

Beesting droned on about what happened, and the other cats were paying attention to him. Pineheart snuck out and limped out of camp toward the moonstone. She needed answers, and she was going to get them.

Chapter Three

Pineheart slipped past the guards, and headed toward the moors, which was WindClan territory. She crossed the moors without any problems, but caught a few strange scents on the wind. She neared Mothermouth, the massive tunnel that lead to the Moonstone, and as she stepped into the darkness, she heard whispers. She couldn't scent anything, but she distinctly heard… Boneclaw? How was that possible, he left for some hunting almost right before… oh. He was the one doing the betraying. He was saying that she would be here tonight, and they should just be patient. Pineheart cautiously stepped out of the cave, but as she did so, a pebble clinked under her paw. She turned and sprinted away from WindClan, passing the moors and heading toward ThunderClan, the nearest allied clan. Pineheart crossed the border, but the rogues and Boneclaw were still hard on her tail. She managed to find her way to the ThunderClan camp, and burst in, panting. The rogues had enough sense not to follow her, but Boneclaw apparently didn't, and sprinted in after her, launching himself at her, completely unaware that there was a clan leader watching. She ducked under him, and shoved her shoulder into his stomach. Boneclaw lost balance, but quickly regained it, and swiped at her chest. She tried to jump back, but at the same time, he swiped her paw out from under her. She took a hard blow and stumbled back, bleeding heavily. Pineheart fell, and Boneclaw loomed over her, about to deliver the killing blow. She grinned, and he hesitated, clearly suspicious, and entirely **oblivious** to the entire clan that was at his back.

"Look behind you, mousebrain. I thought the scent of ThunderClan might alert you, but I think your nose must be broken. I lured you here, knowing that if I died in front of the entirety of ThunderClan, they would be able to confirm what a lying, scheming rat you are."

Boneclaw hissed, and suddenly, he had a mask of calm on his face. He turned to the ThunderClan group and smiled.

"Well, it looks like Pineheart completed this part of her training. So sorry we had to traipse into your territory to do it."

As hard as he tried, he couldn't convince the clan leader, who had seen the cruelty and longing for murder in his grey eyes. As the rest of the clan was starting to believe his story, Thornstar leapt on top of him, pinning him, with one paw on his throat, and the other one his stomach.

"This cat has attempted murder. You saw the way he came through the thorn barrier. He was so focused on injuring this young one here, he didn't realize we were even here. You brought the fight into our camp," she glanced at Pineheart. "Potentially injuring the elders or even the kits. I must confer with Cedarstar to decide the punishment of you, young one," She glanced at Pineheart, but then her gaze hardened. "As for Boneclaw… I say Thunderclan keeps him under guard, so he doesn't… do away with you whilst you travel to ShadowClan's camp. Can you travel, with such a grievous wound?" Pineheart gritted her teeth, and nodded solemnly, taking a step toward the barrier. As she did, Boneclaw surged up, knocking aside Thornstar, and sprinted out of the barrier, high-tailing it toward twoleg-place. Pineheart who had attempted to follow him through the thorn barrier and gotten her fur snagged, freed herself, and limped over, tasting the air. He's following the rogues! She turned away, and headed home to share with her clan what she had found.

Chapter 4

Pineheart traveled warily through the woods. Thornstar had offered her an escort, to ensure her safety, but she had politely declined, thinking the escort would report the location of the ShadowClan camp to ThunderClan. She crossed the border, and, with her wound not bleeding anymore, she ran to the camp, and rushed to Cederstar's den. The guards outside tried to stop her, but she pushed through, and found Cederstar conferring with her mother.

"But we have to look for her! She snuck out, with a possible concussion! The patrol you sent said her trail went across the border, and- Pineheart! Oh, thank StarClan you're safe!"

"I told you I didn't need to send another patrol. Always trust a clan leader's instinct."

Dawnheart glared at him then went back to fussing over her only daughter. She nudged her over to the fresh kill pile, insisting she had to eat, but Pineheart insisted on seeing Cederstar, and won the argument, saying it was life or death status. Trotting up to his den, she walked past the guards, and softly said his name, so he was slightly prepared for her entrance.

"Come in, it's alright."

She entered, and found him laying down, and looking slightly uncomfortable. The way he was laying reminded her of a wounded woodland creature, unable to move without pain. Remembering her apprentice days, and her kithood at that, he was never out of his den unless there was a new warrior, or apprentice. The occasional gathering was skipped, but she thought that was just for important leader stuff. She sat down with his permission, and took a deep breath, unsure how to begin.

"Cederstar, we have a traitor amongst us. I have seen, and heard, who it was, and I'm very sorry to tell you it was your new deputy, Boneclaw. He has been conferring with a band of rogues for StarClan knows how long, and he tried to kill me when I heard him plotting at the Moonstone. I ran, and entered the camp of ThunderClan, where Thornstar helped me apprehend him. She said she would keep him prisoner, and discuss my punishment for bringing the fight to the place where kits and elders were with you. Unfortunately, Boneclaw escaped and went to join the band of rogues at TwolegPlace. I recommend waiting until he thinks we've forgotten, and then striking. Also, keep Ravenfeather under tight watch. He was the one to announce the 'news' that my father had betrayed us. That is all."

Cederstar shook his head, looking disappointed that one of his best warriors had been the most disloyal.

"That will have to be dealt with soon, and as for your efforts, you will be rewarded."

"No, no, I don't need a reward, I just need to ask a question."

"Ask a question, my dear, or twenty, for that matter. I shall answer truthfully."

"Are you on your last life, Cederstar?"

He sighed, and his ceder colored tail swished, sending up a small cloud of dust.

"Yes. I am, indeed, on my last life. I have been for quite a while now. Do you think I kept our clan out of battle for a different reason? I wanted them to have a strong leader in battle, someone who wasn't going to go down after one blow! I-I needed someone better than _me_. Well, I suppose, since Boneclaw is… relieved of his duties… we will need a new deputy. I would like it to be _you_ , Pineheart."

Pineheart stuttered, unsure of what to say. She needed an apprentice first, and the only kits in the nursery were four moons, much too young to be apprenticed.

"There aren't any kits old enough though. There is Tigerpaw, Boneclaw's apprentice, but I would have no idea how to pick up on his training! Besides, there are other, much more experienced warriors in the clan. Thank you for the offer, but, for the good of the clan, I will have to decline."

"I am dying, Pineheart. I have seen more moons than any of you could imagine. Grant a dying cat his last wish," he broke off in a sudden hacking fit, and Pineheart ran to get the medicine cat, and told him about what Cederstar had said to her. Sageclaw shrugged.

"I suppose you have to be deputy then. Not letting a dying cat have his final wish, it's like.. Having pile of prey and letting turn to crowfood. It's not good. She sighed. "Even I can't think of a better qualified cat than you. Even though you are young, you passed the assessment with flying colors. You were the only apprentice to have the courage to rescue Snowfall's kits when that rogue stole them, remember? You rallied the warriors, and attacked in the dead of night. Even though you aren't as experienced, you meet all other qualifications. Besides, Cederstar is on his last leg, and I don't think he can choose a new deputy without thinking of what his old one had done. Let him relax, let him know that the clan will be well protected with you leading it."

Pineheart sighed. She thought of how all the apprentices looked to her for advice when they were having tough times, even the older ones. She had the respect of **virtually** every cat in the clan, and some in the other clans as well. She stood up, and used her tail to brush the dust and debris off her pelt. After getting healing salve applied to her wound, she went back up to Cederstar's den, and told him that she accepted the position as deputy. He looked at her with appreciation in his eyes, and braced himself to stand up, and Pineheart could almost hear the creaking of his bones. He stiffly padded out and summoned the clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for an announcement!" His words rang around the clearing, and cats seemed to materialize, slipping out of shadows, coming from behind trees, all watching her with a fixed stare. Pineheart gulped, suddenly feeling ill. She took a deep breath, assuring herself. These were only her clanmates, they would support her, right? If she couldn't trust them, who could she trust?

"Not all of you may know, but we have had a traitor amongst us! Boneclaw, our old deputy, has been secretly meeting with a band of rogues. If you know anything about this, step up now, and punishment will not be severe," He waited while the clan was murmuring in shock. "Accompanying this, we have a new deputy. Pineheart, who informed me of this, will be your new deputy, and if you have any objections to this, please speak now." Ravenfeather opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it.

"Also, if you happen to scent Boneclaw on our territory, or any suspicious scents, inform me or our leader, and _do not engage_. Follow the scent trail and scout. If it leads to the enemy base, great. If not, get out of there, I wouldn't put it above him to murder a cat." Pineheart stated this looking around at the cats. Stealth was ShadowClan specialty, and if they couldn't be scouts, then what could they be?

Chapter 5

Pineheart leapt off of Highrock, and padded toward the warrior's den. By now, it was almost moonhigh, and she was going to have to get up before dawn to make the patrols. She padded to her nest to find the moss had been refreshed. She looked around to find Beesting smiling at her. She nodded her head in thanks, and circled the nest a few times, laying down with a sigh.

Pineheart woke to a dark morning. Fog had rolled in, shrouding the camp in an eerie haze. She leapt up onto the Highrock, and announced the patrols.

'Hunting patrol will be Ravenfeather, Dawnheart, and Duskclaw. If you scent anything strange send someone back, and backup will be sent immediatly. Border patrols for WindClan will be Frogfur, Beesting, and Cloudjump. Ivypelt, you take Russetheart and Barktooth to the ThunderClan border. Avoid any conflict, both of you. I want a group of cats to patrol the border with TwolegPlace. The group that finishes first can do that. You are dismissed."

The patrols stretched and went out of camp to do the thing they had been assigned. Pineheart leapt off of the ledge and trotted to Hopfoot, a tabby tom with a black-furred foot.

"Hey, tail the hunting patrol, especially Ravenfeather. I don't trust him. If you lose sight, head for TwolegPlace, and see what you can pick up there."

"Ok. I'll head there now." He left, and Pineheart turned, surveying the camp. No cat here was prepared for war. Yet war was approaching, and nobody could stop it.

Chapter 6

Pineheart stepped into Cederstar's den, and sat down. She sighed as she looked at him. Yesterday had been tough for him. He seemed even more exhausted, if possible. Tigerpaw had gotten a new mentor, and claimed he knew nothing of his mentor's treachery. She ruled out all the warriors and apprentices that seemed to have nothing to do with Boneclaw's scheme, and there were only a couple left to determine. Ravenfeather was a definite probably, and so was Needleface, his mate. Both were cruel, and their son was so nice, it was almost impossible to think they were related. But there seemed to be something missing.

"I've just sent the patrols out, and asked Hopfoot to tail Ravenfeather. How are you feeling?"

He shook his head.

"Old, tired, and ill. But, this is normal for me, and soon I won't have to deal with it. Very soon." He broke off coughing, and his whole body shook, racked with pain, he keeled over, and kept coughing, hacking his lungs up. Pineheart ran to get Sageclaw, telling her it was time for him to go to StarClan. Pineheart stayed with him through the day, and at dusk his breath grew short. He took quick, shallow breaths, and Pineheart called the clan to attention, and told them to wait a moment. She reentered the den, and Cederstar drew his head up to look at her. They shared a silent moment, before he took his last breath. Pineheart somberley walked out of the den, head and tail drooping. She straightened herself, and looked at her clan.

"I have gathered you here today to announce Cederstar's death. He was a great cat, a great leader, and a great friend. He appointed me deputy yesterday, and I hate to have to be leader so soon. Please, if I make mistakes, correct me, and I hope we can make it through my leadership unscathed. Please step forward so we can share tongues with him one last time." She stepped back, and Cederstar's body was dragged into the clearing, sweet-smelling herbs masking the stench of death. Each cat settled as close as possible to him, grooming his fur, and talking gently. Pineheart went to talk to Sageclaw, about the naming ceremony, and how soon it had to take place. She told her it could happen tomorrow, but she had to choose a deputy now. She walked back up to Highrock, and cleared her throat.

"I truly regret having to interrupt, but a deputy has to be chosen before moonhigh. And the chosen deputy is Beesting," She looked at the striped tom who was frozen in shock. "He has shown loyalty, dedication, and compassion to those in need. Do you accept this position?"

He stuttered, but nodded after figuring out he couldn't form coherent words. He shook himself, getting rid of any leaf scrap that might have clung on to his pelt and climbed Highrock, standing next to Pineheart.

"I won't let you down. Let me make this clear. We will do everything we can to make this clan safe." He nodded and they jumped down. By now, it was moonhigh, and Pineheart padded to the freshkill pile, grabbing a plump mouse. She crunched through the bones, wondering what would happen with her naming ceremony. She knew that no cat must know what happens, that it would have to be kept secret between the medicine cat and the leader, but beyond that she was clueless. She yawned, tired. It was a long day, and it took a lot out of her. She yawned, then dragged herself to her nest in the warrior's den. She wanted to spend one last night in a familiar place.

Chapter 7

Pineheart woke to Sageclaw shaking her shoulder. She yawned, then remembered what day it was. She jumped up, careful not to disturb the sleeping warriors, but she did poke Beesting with her tail, so he could wake up and be ready to assign patrols. She whispered that she had to leave, and he immediately woke up and went outside the den, greeted by a foggy sky. Pineheart looked at Sageclaw, who was eating the strengthening herbs required to make the long journey. As per the custom, leaders weren't allowed to eat anything before they went to the Moonstone. She looked at sageclaw, who nodded, signaling that it was time to go. They trotted across the moor, and came upon Nettle's farm. Nettle was a kittypet, but he wasn't a normal kittypet. He hunted the mice in the hayloft, and didn't live _with_ the Twolegs. He lived in the barn, and those traveling were always welcome to rest. He was a plump gray tabby, with heterochromia eyes. He had a striking icy blue eye, and a warm amber one. He padded out of the barn, shaking the hay scraps off of his pelt, and grinned at them. He came towards them, carrying a mouse for Sageclaw.

"Old friend! I can't believe you're here again! Where's that old fool Cederstar?" He stopped as he saw the grieved expression of the two cats. "Oh. Oh, no. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. How could you have known? This is Pineheart, our soon to be leader." Pineheart grinned as Sageclaw introduced her. Sageclaw told Pineheart to rest while she ate, and told Nettle about Boneclaw. When she finished, they went on their way, waving goodbye.

"He seemed a little suspicious to me." Pineheart whispered to Sageclaw, thinking of how friendly he was. Normally cats like him wanted nothing to do with clan cats, because they were afraid or overly territorial.

"Oh, he's just an old friend of Cederstar's, so when he would come to the Moonstone, he would stop here and chat. When he brought me with him, i was a bit skeptical at first, but he turned out to be a great ally." she turned to face the mountains, where the wind was blowing from. She scented the air, and came up with nothing but the smell of rain about to fall. She turned to the cliffside where the Moonstone was. It was still a ways away, but if they hurried they could make it and wait out the storm.

"Quickly. We don't need to get caught in this 's the last thing we need right now." The two she-cats hurried across the open fields, and Pineheart could feel the wind buffeting her fur, pushing her forward, as if telling her to hurry. A particularly strong wind brought raindrops with it. Starting to fall gently, it picked up intensity, and soon both Pineheart andSage claw were soaked to the skin and chilled to the bone. They ran towards the Moonstone, but the wind that was helping them go faster now seemed to be against them, pushing them every way except forward. Sageclaw was whipped around, her lithe body like a leaf, too weak to hold its ground against the roaring wind, while Pineheart, trained to handle any weather, dug her claws in the earth, flattened her ears, and trudged onward, Sageclaw somewhat following close behind. When they finally made it to the Moonstone, it was almost moonhigh, so Pineheart settled beside the stone, and touched her nose to the cold stone, and fell asleep. Stars swirled around her, and she landed on all four paws in a lush forest clearing. Prey scampered around in the undergrowth, and Pineheart remembered that this was StarClan's hunting grounds, so she couldn't take any prey back to her clan. Cats began to step into the clearing, until there were nine cats. _For my nine lives._ She thought, as the cats began to circle around her. She saw other cats around the edge of the clearing, but none of them joined the circle. Cederstar stepped up, and Pineheart gasped. Here, in StarClan, he looked strong and healthy, not as sickly as he was in the real world.

"Pineheart, these cats have assembled to give you your nine lives, officially making you leader of ShadowClan. Do you accept this position?" She nodded. "Good. we can begin. Pineheart, I give you a life for mentoring. Pass on your abilities to those worthy.' pineheart felt a searing pain go through her body as he touched his muzzle to the top of her head. _If i have to go through this eight more times, I'll be dead before it's over!_ She thought, as the pain subsided. The next cat to step up was one Pineheart didn't recognize. It was a small kit, and by the size of him, he looked like he had died after kitting.

"Hello Pineheart." His voice wasn't what she expected. It was deep, but still that of a kit. "You may not know me, but I've watched you since birth. We were littermates, you and I. You don't remember me because I died before you were born. I had barely taken a breath, and I was gone. No time to give me a name." Pineheart fumed. If she had a brother, dead or not, she should've been told! "Pineheart, I give you a life for compassion. May you remember be mindful of those weaker than you." A warmth rushed through her, but it quickly turned to heat, burning her up. She fought not to yowl in pain, but the pain went away, and her brother touched noses with her reassuringly before receding into the crowd. She craned her neck to look for him, and she spotted him twining around the legs of Ashstone, an elder that had passed when she was born. She assumed that she was the caregiver of the eternal kit. She relaxed a bit, knowing that her brother as well cared for, and a cream-colored she-cat with a bright pink nose padded into view. Berrystar, the leader before Cederstar, had come, bearing the gift of on of her nine lives.

"Pineheart, I give you a life for speed. May you speed to your clan's side when there is trouble." She stepped back, and Pineheart could feel a rush of new energy flowing through her, not painful, but not overly pleasant either. It faded, leaving her feeling refreshed. Bravelion, a great warrior tom, stepped forward. She could she traces of old scars crisscrossing his pelt. This was Berrystar's loyal deputy, and he had also come to give her a life.

"Pineheart, I give you a life for courage, to defend your clan in battle." He touched his muzzle to the top of her head, and she spasmed, as the pain was almost too much to handle. He stepped away, and Redfeather, the she-cat that was found murdered along the WindClan border moons ago, stepped up.

"Pineheart, I give you a life for justice, so that you may judge all your clanmates fairly." Yet another muzzle touched her head, and by now Pineheart was used to the pain, so she inly flinched a little when it flowed through her. Redfeather licked the top of her head, and melted into the circle, allowing Nightshade, her mother's sister, to step up. She had run away when she was accused of being unfaithful, but had been hit by a monster.

" I give you a life for loyalty to what you think is right. This understanding will guide you to beyond the Warrior Code." A feeling of righteousness flowed through her. Nightshade turned and left, leaping over the low-growing bushes and disappeared into the forest. Swiftrunner, who approached after, circled Pineheart, examining her.

"You will do nicely." She said, unnerving Pineheart. She stopped circling and positioned herself in front of Pineheart, and gave her a life for love, to understand that you can't be emotionless. When the feeling of wind flowing around her subsided, Splashpelt, a queen with black splotches on her white pelt trotted up to her.

"My kits were stolen once, and I fought like the entirety of StarClan to get them back. I give you a life to protect your clan as a mother would her kits." She lowered her head, and Pineheart braced herself. A feeling of fierce anger burned in her claws, and she was ready to slash and kill to defend her clanmates. Gingerlily, a frail she-cat who had been an elder, ambled up to Splashpelt and nosed her away, and faced Pineheart. She had been alive when Pineheart was an apprentice, but she had passed before she became a warrior, causing a heavy cloud of gloom to be settled among the clan, for she was the favorite elder, with wonderful stories, and she could read cats like Twolegs could read those things with the white leaves and black lines. She stepped up, and Pineheart purred. It hadn't been that long since she last saw her, but it felt like moons had passed. Gingerlily's green eyes glowed in the lighting of the clearing.

"Young one, since you were a kit, I had a feeling, deep in my bones, that you would be an important cat. I sensed that you would be the most nobel leader that ShadowClan would have since Berrystar. Sorry Cederstar, but you spent most of your leadership in your den, and you know it!" She added after he glared at her. "I give you a life for nobility, so you may lead your clan in the way of the warrior code for all of your nine lives." She pressed her muzzle to her head, more firmly than the others had, and pain seemed to strip her fles from the bone, and she bit her tongue, staying silent although the pain was almost killing her. If she couldn't tough out pain, how was she to lead a clan? To her surprise, a tenth cat approached her, a large shecat, muscles rippling under her dark, shadowy pelt. Her long feathery tail swished, and the other cats parted for her, letting her walk straight to Pineheart. Shadowstar, the founder of ShadowClan, had arrived. Three more cats arrived, and Pineheart recognized the three other founders of the four clans. A golden tom with a white chest and paws followed, and Pineheart knew he was Thunderstar, founder of ThunderClan. The StarClan cats stared in awe, as the founders had never come to a naming ceremony, and never was among the other StarClan cats. Riverstar, a long-furred gray tom, came after, his yellow eyes glowing. Windstar padded after, her thin, dust colored fur doing nothing to protect her from the rising wind, blowing past, sounding like whispers of things yet to come. When Shadowstar spoke, the wind stopped, and the entirety of Starclan was silent, listening as if her words were going to keep them alive.

"Kin. We traveled to this hollow on this night to grant this cat," She gestured at Pineheart with her tail, "A tenth life." The crowd gasped, murmuring that _Such a thing was unheard of_ , or _What if it goes wrong?_ and Shadowstar glared around the clearing, making the cats fall silent again, so she could speak. "This cat is the first to receive this gift. She is StarClan's recipient of a generous thing. Should you have any objections to this gift-giving, you may take it up with one of my good friends here, I'm sure one of them would be happy to help you voice your opinion." She gestured again, but this time to her fellow founders. She turned and faced Pinheart. "For many moons we had been watching, wondering if you were worthy to receive this. We had all agreed on a life, and the purpose of it. Pineheart, we, the founders of the four clans, give you the life of reliability, so your clanmate can always know that you will be there for them." With the final life given, Pineheart rose into the air, an ethereal glow surrounding her. She was lowered, and lay there until all the cats who had given her a life spoke in **uni** son.

"Rise Pinestar, leader of ShadowClan. Go back to your clan, and protect them from dangers that lurk in the darkness." With that, she woke, jumping up from her resting place as dawn light filtered in through the cave entrance. She breathed heavily as Sageclaw stirred, waking from the sudden movement beside her. She looked at Pinestar, and nodded. She understood what had happened. Actually she _saw_ what happened. Pinestar saw her watching from afar as she was given a tenth life. They nodded and headed back toward camp, passing Barley's farm without stopping. They had already been gone too long, and had no idea if Boneclaw had made a move to attack camp. As they got closer, she could scent rogues, faint but still there, but they were near the border of TwolegPlace, they both figured it was blown towards them by the wind. Pinestar walked to the camp, and scented more of ShadowClan cats, and spotted some trampled undergrowth. She entered the camp, and released a sigh. The clan was okay. She was home, and now she would do everything in her power to save everything she loved from destruction via Boneclaw. To Be Continued

About the Author

Zoe Baxter is a seventh grade student, attending Woodrow Wilson. She plays for the girls soccer team and participates in Jazz Band. Having been grounded so much when she was younger (and still being grounded in recent times) she developed a taste for books which lead to her becoming a **bibliophile.** In the future she hopes to receive a Bachelor's degree from Virginia Western, and pursue a career in welding and/or architecture.

Critique

I personally think I deserve an 80%, or around that area, because there was a lot that happened, and it happened a bit too fast, and I was unsatisfied with the characters and how some of them were exposed. That cliffhanger was not that good, at least it seemed that way to me. I feel like I didn't do my best work, and if there wasn't a time limit, I could've done much better altogether. Also I didn't really feel that there was a theme, or mood, because once again, the storyline was rushed, and not all the characters were thoroughly thought over. Halfway through, I didn't like where the story was headed, but by then it was too late to change it, and I think I might have stopped trying from there. I made a bad choice when i chose to write about cats, and now that I realize this, it's far too late, as it is Thursday, it's due tomorrow, and I don't feel like typing all night. Thanks for reading this, although Autumn just said that you wouldn't actually read it. Have a nice afternoon.

-Zoe Baxter 4/19/18


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